


The Best Damn Closer in the City

by Ede



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Abed Being a Character, Multi, Relationship Negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-28
Updated: 2013-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-16 10:44:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/861172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ede/pseuds/Ede
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Meghan is actually a pretty cool lady.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Damn Closer in the City

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Agnes_Bean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agnes_Bean/gifts).



> Okay, Agnes_Bean, I had a different story planned, a long, long story about relationship negotiations and the oddness of growing up and changes and Jeff being a smug dick about everything, but then this happened. The other one will still totally happen. But in the mean time, have a different kind of smugness.

To Troy's eternal shame, Abed's terrible friend Meghan is the one who points out that something is wrong with Abed. 

Troy doesn't actually like Meghan all that much, and has no idea why Abed does. Seventy percent of what she says is mean, and Troy doesn't know how to handle her, so he usually doesn't. Meghan is only nice to Abed, and Abed is almost uncharacteristically polite to Meghan, and Troy just can't see any reason for it. Meghan is weird and mean and sort of like a really evil cat, or a Decepticon. 

The point is, Meghan shouldn't have to tell Troy that something is wrong, because Troy should notice on his own, because he is a _better person_ than Meghan, and should be a better friend than her too. But then, that's probably a part of things being wrong.

Anyway. Before Meghan says anything, Troy is unaware that Abed is anything but content.

Which is why, when she slips up behind him in the hallway and snarls, “He's _unhappy_. Fix it, or I will _find you_ and _make you_. And you are really easy to find,” Troy just kind of stands there and feels his eyes go wide and tries to decide if he is horrified or angry or maybe kind of both.

She vanishes into the crowd before Troy can really respond, and damn, for someone who really likes to make an entrance and be the center of attention, she can be a scary ass ninja. Troy takes a moment to imagine Meghan in black, jumping around and stabbing people with her barrettes. 

And then Troy remembers that _Meghan_ just told him that Abed was unhappy, because Troy hadn't noticed on his own, and all thoughts of fashion ninjas vanish under how upset he is.

What makes it even worse is that Troy has been actually _noticing_ a lot of stuff lately, and some of it has related to how things are wrong, but most of it has been, like, oh, the Air Conditioning people are still super weird, or, oh, Pierce is getting crazier by the minute, or, oh, we're still out of buttered noodles, what the hell, it's been like a week.

Troy can't believe that he can notice all that other stuff, but Abed being upset has just slipped right past him.

Normally, he would just talk to Abed and fix this. But then, normally, he would have noticed something was wrong the minute it went wrong. 

Nothing is normal about this.

Troy squares his shoulders, and tells the hallway, “I'm gonna need some backup on this one.”

“Gay,” Leonard cackles as he passes.

–

“Of _course_ I'll help!” Annie says, eyes going wide and gleeful and you know what, she might not make the Disney face anymore, but Annie is _really_ enthusiastic about this sort of and it shows all over her face. “I'm so glad you came to me! What's our plan?”

Troy makes a face of his own, except he knows that it's not the same kind of face at all. Troy's glad that Annie's helping, but mostly, he's just feeling worried and upset, which makes it hard to make enthusiastic faces. Annie doesn't look like she's judging, though, which is nice of her.

“That's kind of what I need you for,” he admits. “Meghan didn't actually say what was wrong, and I can't fix a problem if I don't know what the problem is, so we need to find out what's making Abed upset before we can do anything.”

Annie's eyes narrow at the mention of Meghan, because she and Meghan have what Abed would call a _history_ in italics, but she just nods, and looks serious. Troy is so glad that Annie is on his side in most things, because Annie is _excellent_ with plans, and also terrifying when she is on a mission.

“Okay,” she says. “We are gonna figure this out.”

–

“We are never gonna figure this out,” Troy whines, and he knows he's whining, and he hates that, but he _can't help it_ , because Abed has chosen this moment to be a new persona, and it's someone Troy _doesn't know_ , and everything is _wrong_.

Annie pats him on the shoulder and makes soothing sounds, which is kind of nice, because her boobs jiggle in just the right way when she moves her arm like that, but also not helpful at all, because if soothing sounds could solve problems, then Troy would be _a god amongst men_. Also, Nana Barnes would be a much better person.

“Hello, all,” Abed says, and Troy jumps up and out of his chair with a shriek, because _how long has Abed been standing there_? Annie gets yanked back with Troy because physics, and she looks annoyed and alarmed and something else that Troy's not sure what to do with, and Abed.

Abed is wearing a _suit_. Abed is wearing _cufflinks_. Abed is.

Well.

Abed smirks – smirks! – at both of them, and then unbuttons his suit jacket and wow, okay, he's wearing a waistcoat under the jacket, and Troy has never really been aware of Abed's waist before now, but now he's very aware. And a little uncomfortable. But not very uncomfortable, which is weird, and that is making him uncomfortable, and okay, he needs to stop this train of thought.

“Um,” Annie says, her voice really loud in their totally silent kitchen. “Wow, Abed. What's with the suit?”

“A good suit is critical, Annie,” Abed drawls, still smirking, sliding his hands into his pockets. “The suit makes the man, and well. If you've got to choose what kind of man you're going to be, why not go with the best?”

Troy blinks, and then blinks again, and realizes two things at once. One, his hand is still wrapped around one of Annie's wrists. Two, he totally knows which character Abed is currently being.

He rolls his shoulders back, and then lets them go loose, and grins.

“Whatever you say,” he tells Abed, and Abed flashes him a real smile very, very quickly, before returning to his smirk and directing his focus back to Annie. Also to Troy, but in a less direct and immediate way, which Troy is kind of grateful for. Annie looks more than a little overwhelmed by the smirk.

“Um,” Annie says again, shifting back just a little, which is just enough to make her bump up against Troy. “Um.”

Abed steps forward, and now he really _is_ looking at both of them, and Troy totally understands why Annie looked so flushed that time Abed was Don Draper, because wow. Wow. Abed is right there, right in front of them, and then he leans even closer, and whispers,

“There's nothing wrong.” 

Troy feels his eyes go wide, and he really, _really_ what to say whaaaat, but it would kind of ruin the whole vibe that Abed's working to create right now, and Troy doesn't wanna do that, so he just lets his eyes go wide and stares at Abed, because _what_.

“ _What_?” Annie squeaks, and okay, her back is still pressed up against Troy, and she is _really warm_. “But, but, Meghan said, and Troy, and we, _what_?”

“I told Meghan to say that,” Abed says, and he kind of, _slinks_ is the best word Troy can think of, closer. “I just wanted to have you guys all worked up and working together when I had this talk with you.”

And then Abed pulls away in every sense of the word, and pulls out a briefcase from _nowhere_ – when this is over, Troy is going to demand to be shown how to do that – and says, as himself, “I'd like to negotiate a relationship with you guys.”

Troy just kind of stands there for a minute, and then he tells Annie, “Well, at least we'll be working with the best closer in the city,” and Annie looks between both of them and _beams_ , and really, that's enough of an answer for Troy.

They still negotiate. Annie makes a spreadsheet, and pulls out the highlighters, and Abed lays down terms, and Troy reminds them that _no one can mention that one time with the parrot_.

It works itself out, mostly.

**Author's Note:**

> In my mind, Abed and Meghan are totally bros, in a very unique kind of way. No one can convince me that this is not so. They have a lot of meta-ish talks about their classmates and Greendale in general. Meghan is not so into Inspector Spacetime, but no one's perfect.
> 
> Also, my inner Troy uses a lot of italics. 
> 
> Also also, I fully believe that if he chose to, Abed could play a Harvey Specter-ish character and use it to seduce both Troy and Annie.


End file.
